Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton faces actor Casper van Dien

BBC
 
Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton faces actor Casper van Dien

Arsenal face a familiar figure on Saturday as they look to get their title bid back on track - but can they get the better of their former manager Unai Emery's Aston Villa side?

"I really want there to be a title race and Arsenal need to hang on in there," BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton said.

"It is just their luck that they really need a win this weekend, and they are up against a manager who was derided by their fans.

"This would be the perfect time for Emery to stick the boot in, by getting a result for Villa."

Sutton is making predictions for every top-flight game this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's fixtures, he is up against Starship Troopers actor Casper van Dien.

Van Dien's new mystery film, Daughter, is out on digital download on Monday.

Daughter director Corey Deshon has also made his predictions for the same games and has promised to find Sutton a part in his next project - well, if there is a character obstinate enough for him to play.

"From the sounds of it, I think that's unlikely," Deshon said. "But if Chris sends me an audition tape then I'll give him a go!"

Van Dien has Dutch ancestry but despite having football-mad relatives in the Netherlands, his own career was over by the time he was 15.

He told BBC Sport: "I played a lot of soccer when I was a kid, and competed right the way up to ninth grade, but then I just played American football after that.

"I still have cousins over there [in the Netherlands] and they talk about soccer all the time. But I've not been to a game since I went to David Beckham's last match for LA Galaxy, in 2012.

"I actually have a Beckham jersey - and I wore it with pride! - but I haven't been back since.

"It's a big fail of mine, and I'm determined to get to a game next time I am in the UK, to experience that too. For now, though, I guess I have to settle for making some predictions instead!"

It's just a shame for Van Dien that Hull City are not involved because chanting "Go Tigers" has become something of a family tradition that he has passed on to his daughter, Grace, who played cheerleader Chrissy in Stranger Things.

Van Dien explained: "In Starship Troopers, I play on the Tigers, who are my football team and in Stranger Things, Gracie's character cheers for the Tigers - that's the team at Hawkins High School, which she goes to.

"I am 54 now, so the chances of me playing for Hull in a sports movie are pretty slim - but if I can play the coach or the owner, then you never know!"

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

SUTTON'S PREDICTIONS

Games kick off at 15:00 GMT unless otherwise stated

SATURDAY, 18 FEBRUARY

Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Casper's prediction: 1-3

Corey's prediction: 1-2

Brentford 1-1 Crystal Palace

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Casper's prediction: 2-1

Corey's prediction: 2-0

Brighton 0-1 Fulham

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Casper's prediction: 2-2

Corey's prediction: 2-1

Chelsea 0-1 Southampton

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Casper's prediction: 3-0

Corey's prediction: 3-0

Everton 1-0 Leeds

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Casper's prediction: 1-1

Corey's prediction: 1-0

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Man City

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Casper's prediction: 0-3

Corey's prediction: 3-1

Wolves 0-1 Bournemouth

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Casper's prediction: 2-0

Corey's prediction: 2-1

Newcastle 0-2 Liverpool

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Casper's prediction: 2-3

Corey's prediction: 1-0

SUNDAY, 19 FEBRUARY

Man Utd v Leicester (14:00 GMT)

I keep on ruling Manchester United out of the title race - and I still think the title is Manchester City's by the way - but United keep finding a way of winning games, even when they are not at their best, which is a good habit to have.

We will have to see how Erik ten Hag's squad copes with the volume of matches they face while they are in the Europa League, and Thursday's game against Barcelona is obviously a big distraction for them.

Leicester got a great win over Tottenham last time out, and it's clear what an enormous difference it makes for them to have James Maddison fit again.

I reserve the right to change my prediction after the Barca game but at the moment United have the confidence and belief to carry them through tight games, which is what I think will happen here.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Casper's prediction: 2-1

Corey's prediction: 3-1

Tottenham v West Ham (16:30 GMT)

I'll start by wishing Tottenham boss Antonio Conte well and the main thing is he makes a swift recovery from his gallbladder surgery.

Spurs won the last game Conte missed, against Manchester City earlier this month, and I am expecting a similar result here, helped by them having Cristian Romero back after suspension.

But we don't really know what we will get from Tottenham, as was shown by their heavy defeat at Leicester last time out.

As for West Ham, they were very poor in the first 25 minutes against Chelsea and the game could have been out of sight for them by then.

The Hammers hung on in there and got something out of the game but I don't think they will get away with it if they put in a repeat performance against Tottenham.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Casper's prediction: 1-1

Corey's prediction: 1-0

Chris Sutton, Casper van Dien and Corey Deshon were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

How did Sutton do last week?

From last weekend's Premier League fixtures, Sutton got five correct results from 10 matches, including two exact scores, giving him a total of 110 points.

He beat FEET bassist Oli, who got three correct results, with no exact scores, for a total of 30 points.

Manchester City's win over Arsenal on Wednesday counted towards week 11, when that game was meant to take place.

Sutton predicted a 2-1 Arsenal win while his guest, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars, went for a 1-1 draw. That means Mars is confirmed as the winner, by 70-30.

Two more guests also had a go at predicting that game in midweek - You Me At Six singer Josh Franceschi, who supports Arsenal, and Cassia bassist Lou Cotterill, a Manchester City fan.

Franceschi also wrongly backed Arsenal but Cotterill not only got the right result, he chose the exact scoreline too.

How is Sutton doing this season?

How did you get on?

You had a good week, helped by a close call in the Merseyside derby going your way. While 35% of you went for a draw, 38% correctly went for a Liverpool win.

For the Arsenal-City game, more than 750,000 of you voted on the outcome - 259,000 (34%) correctly backed City to win but 314,000 (42%) wrongly went for an Arsenal victory

*Win, draw, loss prediction based on highest % of vote for each match.